Percussion trip device for electric circuit breakers



Sept. 5, 1950 G. BALACHOWSKY 2,521,497

PERCUSSION TRIP DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC c acurr BREAKERS Filed Nov. 4, 1947 In ventor: Georges Balach owsky,

by |-|is Att orney.

Patented Sept. 5, 1950.

PERCUSSION TRIP DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKERS Georges Balachowsky, Paris, France, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 4, 1947,.Serial No. 784,020

, In France February 6, 1947 control of the tripping function of electric circuit breakers by means of an elastic impulse wave transmitted to the tripping mechanism through an insulating rod.

In high voltage electric circuit breakers, it is necessary to separate the high voltage conductors from the control system by a distance which is adequate to isolate the high voltage conductors from the control system. In circuit breakers having retractable contacts which are biased to the open position and which are held closed by a suitable latching mechanism, it hasbeen the practice to impart a tripping force to the latch mechanism by bodily moving a, relatively long insulating member into engagement with the latch mechanism by means of energy supplied to the rod at a point removed from the high voltage conductors associated with the breaker itself. Where the breaker voltage rating is relatively high, it is necessary to use a relatively long tripping. rod constructed of insulating material. The mass and inertia of such long insulating rods may be so great as to impede unduly and to slow-down the tripping operation of the circuit breaker.

Accordingly, a principal object of my invention is the provision of a device for imparting actu ating force to electric apparatus wherein a mechanical impulse is transmitted from a relatively remote point to a member disposed in cooperative relationship with the apparatus to be controlled.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a relatively long rod of insulating material interposed between the tripping apparatus of an electric circuit breaker and a source of control energy wherein the source of control energy is utilized to impart motion to a member which in turn collides with one end of the insulating rod to set-up therein a high speed impulse for use in imparting a controlling force to the circuit breaker.

Still another object of my invention is the provision ofva high speed control-system for an electric circuit breaker of a relatively high voltage rating wherein the relatively low voltage control circuit is removed from the high voltage conduc tors by an adequate isolating distance.

A still further object of my invention contemplates the transmission of a mechanical impulse to the controlling mechanism of an electric circuit breaker through a substantially stationary insulatingrod. I

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description 4 Claims. (omen-nos) i, 2 proceeds and the features of novelty which characterizemy invention will be pointed out with particularity, in the claimsannexed to and forming a part of this specification.

Fora better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing which is a schematic representation of a circuit breaker and control therefor comprising the essential features of my invention. v In the drawing there is illustrated an electric circuit interrupting device generally indicated at i for, controlling a circuit comprising conductors 2 and 3' to, which contacts l and 5 are connected. Bridging member 6 is supported by operating rod 'l-on which is mounted a projecting portion 8. A latch 9 is pivotally supported on a stationary pin Ill. Latch 9 is provided with the projection ll which cooperates with the projection 8 on rod l to hold the circuit breaker closed as shown in the drawing. Latch 9 may be provided with a projection 2 for receiving the tripping force as will be more clearly understood as the description proceeds. A relatively light compression spring 27 may be used to bias the latch 9 toward the latching position. An arm [3 is pivotallyv mounted at one end thereof on a stationary ,pin It, Arm i3 may be constructed with an enlarged portion such as is indicated at l5 in the drawing. The enlarged portion lb of arm l3 comprises an impact member for operating the latch. 9. Preferably, although not necessarily, arm l3, latch S and circuit breaker supporting rod '1 will be constructed of metal. Positioned adjacent the enlarged portion l5 of arm IS in .engaging' relationship therewith is a relatively long. rod or impulse transmitting member iii which, preferably; should be constructed of insulating material such as impregnated wood, resinous material or the like. Insulating rod i6 is supported within a cavity ll in base member l8 and suitablesupports such as l9 may be provided. Constructed within base member !8 is n en n lm In orderto generate a percussion wave in the insulating rod 1 6, it is necessary to provide means for striking the lower endof rod [6. Of course, this particular function may be accomplished in any suitable manner such as by moving a mass at relatively high velocity by means of fluid pressure or byjmechanical means or by electromagnetic means utilizing a source of low voltage power. I have chosen to illustrate the percussion wave generating means as an electrically operated mechanism. comprising, the solenoid 2| in which is mounted an armature or percussion 3 plunger 22. Current is supplied to coil 2| from a source of electric power, not shown, through manually operable switch 23 and leads 24. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that automatically operable means could be substituted for. the manually operable switch ls-such as for instance a current transformer mounted around either conductor 2 or conductor 3 which transformer would supply a controlling current to a relay which, in turn, could operate the control circuit to solenoid 2|.

When the circuit to solenoid 2| is completed as by closing switch 23, percussion member 22 will be lifted upwardly and tip 25 of percussion member 22 will pass through opening of base member l8 and upon the engagement of tipwith the end surface 26 of rod 16 the; upward.

movement of percussion plunger 22 will. be arrested. The arresting of the upward motion of percussion plunger 22 will impart to insulating rod it a high speed high energy mechanicalimpulse which will traverse rod l-B at substantially the speed at which sound would traverse" the rod without causing substantial bodily movement of rod l6. As is well known, the speedat which the wave travels depends upon the characteristics of the material chosen for rod IE. When the impulse wave reaches the upper end of rod I6 its energy will be'imparted to arm [through enlarged portion l5 thereof whereupon arm [3 and its enlarged portion l5'will' mov counterclockwise about the stationary pivot 14; Movement of rodi3 results in the engagementof enlarged portion l5 of rod l3- with the projection 12" of latch 5; thus causing projection H of latch 5" to release the projection 8 of' supporting rod 1. Upon release of the latching mechanism; the circuit breakerbridging member 6 is free'to travel downwardly under the influence of gravity or, as

might=be desirable, under thepr'essure of'biasin'g springs which are not shown in-the drawing.

For thepurpose of regulating thespeed' of transmission of the impulse wave, itis only necessary to change the mass of theenlargedportion !5 of arm 3} By'increasing that mass; the speed of transmission of th -impulse to" latch ing arms; may be decreased. Furthermore, the magnitude of the percussion may bevaried by adjusting the current supplied to solen'oid 21 when switch 23 is closed;

It may be desirable to" cause a number of sir-'- cuit breakers incorporating my invention to? operate synchronously-onto operate at intervals; Thus it will be apparent that my invention is readily adaptable eitherto a single circuit breaker acting individually or to two or more circuit breakers forming a part'of an integral 'powersys= tem.

Having shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the'art that variouschanges and modifications may be made without-departing from my invention and I, therefore; intend in the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications as-fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desiretosecure'by LettersPatent of theUriited- States is:

l. A mechanical impulse mechanism forimparting actuating-force to the operating means of an electric circuit breaker comprising-a mov able plunger, means for imparting motion to-said plunger, an impulse transmitting rod member of insulating material disposed in thepathof movement of said plunger and normally in spaced relation thereto in which a high speed percussion impulse wave is generated by the collision of said plunger with one end of said rod, and a movable impact member normally engaging the other end of Saidrod atid movabli iii resppnseto an impulse wave" traveling longitudinally therein for imparting actuating force to the operating means of said circuit breaker.

2. A device for controlling the operating means of a high voltage electric circuit breaker from a low voltage source of power comprising a percussion plunger movable in response to cur-- rent from said low voltage source, a movabl impact member'for imparting controlling force to said operating means, and impulse transmitting means of insulating material interposed between said percussion plunger and said impact memberforarresting the movement of said plunger thereby to establish a high speed impulse wave in said transmitting means, said impulse wave being for the purpose of initiating bodily movement of said impact'member in substantially the time required for sound'to travel through said impulse transmitting means after the collision between said plunger and said impulse transmitting nie'ansfor controlling said circuit breaker.

3: A mechanism for imparting activating force to the mechanical tripping mechanism of ahigh Voltage electric circuit breaker comprising a; source of lowvoltage power, a movable percussion plungen electromagnetic means responsi've 'to" current from said low voltage power source for imparting bodilymovement to said plunger, a movable impact member for activating said mechanical tripping mechanism, and a rod of insulatin'g'material coaxially disposed with respect to said plunger and saidimp'act memberfor transmitting to said impact member the percussion impulse wave generated in saidrod by the collision of said plunger andsaid rod thereby to trip said circuit breaker.

a": An electric circuit breaker comprisin'grelatively movable contacts biased to the open position, latchingmeans-for holding said contacts in the closed 'position; a movable impact member'for tripping said latching means, and means for imparting tripping movement to said impact member including an impulse transmitting member having aportion thereof in engagement with said impact member and means for 'causingan impulse percussion wave to travel through said transmitting-'- member" for imparting-movement to said impact member to release said latchingmeans and thereby" to open said circuitbreaker; y a y y 1 GEORGES BALACHOWSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferen'ces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES: PA'I 15 N1 S Name Date Weber Sept. 3; 1918 Murray et al. Aug. 10; 1920 Travel Feb.'7, 1928 Solinski Feb. 15, 1944 Marmont Sept. 6, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Feb. 7, 1929 Number Number: 

